BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE ITINERARY. NORTHERN INDIA Tiger, Birds & the Taj Mahal January 19-February 10, 2013

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1 field guides BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE ITINERARY NORTHERN INDIA Tiger, Birds & the Taj Mahal January 19-February 10, 2013 We include here information for those interested in the 2013 Field Guides Northern India tour: a general introduction to the tour a description of the birding areas to be visited on the tour an abbreviated daily itinerary with some indication of the nature of each dayʼs birding outings Those who register for the tour will be sent this additional material: an annotated list of the birds recorded on a previous yearʼs Field Guides trip to the area, with comments by guide(s) on notable species or sightings (may be downloaded from our web site) a detailed information bulletin with important logistical information and answers to questions regarding accommodations, air arrangements, clothing, currency, customs and immigration, documents, health precautions, and personal items a reference list a Field Guides checklist for preparing for and keeping track of the birds we see on the tour after the conclusion of the tour, a list of birds seen on the tour Vast, colorful, and crowded, northern India possesses some of the most spectacular wildlife in Asia and today offers one of the most memorable traveling experiences anywhere in the world. Our tour is designed to show you a fabulous cross section of Indiaʼs birds and wildlife at some of its most exciting sites perhaps the optimal itinerary for someone planning to visit India only once. For those with a passion for wildlife, few spots are richer than northern India, home of world-famous Corbett National Park, the Himalayan foothills, the wetlands of Bharatpur, and Kanha National Park, one of the best places in the whole of India to see that most magnificent of wild creatures the Tiger! Weʼll begin our birding in Delhi where an amazing number of waterbirds gather on the nearby Yamuna River and colorful White-throated Kingfishers, Rose-ringed Parakeets, and Purple Sunbirds live right among the throngs of pedestrians who make up one of Indiaʼs largest cities. The place is humming Indian city life at its best and the first day birding is superb! We then head north towards the western Himalayas, where our first destination will be Corbett, Indiaʼs oldest national park, established in 1935 and extending across 200 square miles. The setting is fabulous and the sheer variety of bird life astounding with more than 500 species known in the park from Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Red Junglefowl, Indian Peafowl, Brown Fish-Owl, and Black-hooded Oriole to Plumbeous and White-capped redstarts, Rusty-cheeked Scimitar- Babbler, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, and White-cheeked Bulbul. Corbett also supports a great assortment of large (but sometimes elusive) animals, including Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Sloth Bear (common but seldom seen), Marsh Mugger (a crocodile), Indian Elephant, and even Tiger. We will spend one night inside the park and three nights outside where we can walk around birding more freely. Field Guides Incorporated 9433 Bee Cave Road #1-150 Austin TX fax

2 After Corbett, we will ascend through the foothills, birding as we go. One of the highlights along our route to Nainital will be a stop at a regular wintering site for the elusive and beautiful Wallcreeper. As the vegetation gradually changes from deciduous to coniferous woodland, weʼll witness changes in the bird life as well, eventually arriving in the mountains around Nainital that rise to over 8500 feet. On a clear day, the view from the pine-clad ridges above the town is dramatic, and gazing across the deep valley we may be able to see distant Nanda Devi, at 25,642 feet, Indiaʼs highest peak. The bird life is no less magnificent, with Lammergeier, Himalayan Griffon, Great Barbet, Blue Magpie, Black-headed Jay, Streaked Laughingthrush, Rufous-breasted Accentor, Black-throated and Greenbacked tits, and Red-flanked Bluetail among an impressive list of upland species weʼll seek. Wallcreeper photographed at Ramnagar by particpant Marshall Dahl. With a change of pace weʼll then take the train back to Delhi, drive to Agra, and visit that most ethereal of Indiaʼs monuments, the majestic Taj Mahal. During a two-night stay in Agra weʼll visit the Taj and also a couple of Indiaʼs other magnificent monuments the Agra Fort and the palaces of Akbar the Great at Fatehpur Sikri. Agra will also be our base for a visit to another recent addition to our tour; our boat trip on the Chambal River has become a great favorite as we slowly cruise from flocks of Indian Skimmers to pairs of Red-naped Ibis, with giant Gharials (long-nosed fish eating crocodiles) basking on the sand banks and Blackbellied Terns flitting by. Our tour will then continue with a two-night stay at Bharatpur arguably the greatest water bird sanctuary in all Asia, although numbers vary annually depending on the water levels. Once described as one of the most magical places on earth, this outstanding bird paradise embraces eleven square miles of wetland, woodland, and thorny scrub which on good wet years is seemingly awash with birds. The hysterical wailing of Golden Jackals, wild bugling of Sarus Cranes, and chaotic honking of Bar-headed and Greylag geese is one of the marvels of a Bharatpur dawn. And later, while walking the wood-lined trails, weʼll watch for the gorgeous Black-rumped Flameback, the secretive Siberian Rubythroat, and perhaps visit a staked out site for Dusky Eagle-Owl or Large-tailed Nightjar. The final leg of our tour takes us back to Delhi and then a flight to Jabalpur and on to the wonderful Kanha National Park. Traveling in both small open vehicles and perhaps on elephant back, weʼll traverse the sal and deciduous forests seeing a rich variety of mammals and birds that should include Painted Francolin, Alexandrine Parakeet, Sirkeer Malkoha, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, and Indian Scimitar-Babbler, as well as many more widespread species. Thereʼs also a chance to see Gaur, Sloth Bear, and even Leopard, but Tiger remains our principal quarry here, and, although with such an elusive animal there can never be any guarantees, we will make every effort to search out this most magnificent of the big cats. Join us this winter for an adventure by bus, train, safari jeep, elephant back, boat, foot, and bicycle-rickshaw through the bird-filled marshes and jungles of northern India! About the Physical Requirements & Pace: Our tour is designed to provide a survey of the best birding and wildlife sites in northern India. We will have time to enjoy and study many of the more common and widespread birds, as well as some of the northern subcontinent specialties. This tour will incorporate Indiaʼs birds, wildlife, and culture at a relaxed to moderate pace. With only about ten-and-a-half hours of daylight on these winter days, we try to get the most out of the day, although weʼll often take a short break after lunch; nights offer not only enough time for a long sleep, but a bit of time to study the next dayʼs birds or read a novel. 2

3 Walks are mostly easy (up to two to three miles), although we are often on our feet, away from the vehicle, for three to five hours at a stretch. Around Nainital, however, where we shall be birding up to an altitude of about 7500 feet, a couple of the trails are steep in places, but the pace is slow. Owing to the presence of large carnivores, most of our birding at Corbett and Kanha must be done from vehicles or on elephant-back. The most common type of vehicle used in these parks is a small 4x4 Gypsy Jeep, which means we may have to spilt the group and use several vehicles. Rest assured, however, the drivers and local guides are experts at finding birds and big game, and we will rotate the group, giving everyone a chance to ride with the guide. Other transport during the tour is a mix of private bus and public trains, with additional excursions by safari truck, boat, elephant-back, and bicycle-rickshaw. In the past, several participants have been surprised at how cold the weather may be at this time of year, so please carefully read the section on climate and clothing in the information bulletin. For the birder visiting India, the Birds of North India by Richard Grimmett and Tim Inskipp (published in North America by Princeton University Press) is excellent for use in the field. Itinerary for Northern India: Tiger, Birds & the Taj Mahal Days 1-2, Sat-Sun, Jan. Flights to Delhi. Participants traveling from North America can fly on United from Newark (they have a non-stop flight). The United flight departs Newark at 8:37 p.m. on Janaury 19 and arrives in Delhi at 9:20 p.m. on January 20. As most participants will arrive and depart at different times, we have not included the airport transfers in the tour fee. We have reduced the overall tour fee by the corresponding amount and will be happy to arrange for our ground agent to meet you for a private transfer at an additional cost. Please inform the tour manager of your arrival and departure details at the time of booking so that we can arrange this. Night of January 20 in Delhi. Day 3, Mon, 21 Jan. Delhi. After a relaxed morning to recover from your flights, please meet your guide in the lobby of the hotel at 11:30 a.m. Weʼll have a brief introduction to the tour and then lunch before we take a short drive to the banks of Delhiʼs Yamuna River. The level of water in the river depends on the extent of the previous summerʼs rains, but migrant waterfowl can be numerous at this time of year and we should also see Little Cormorant, a variety of herons, Painted Stork, Black-headed Ibis, Purple Swamphen, and Brownheaded Gull. There is usually a good selection of waders here, too, including River Lapwing and sometimes even Greater Painted-Snipe. Landbirds may include Yellowfooted Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Coppersmith Barbet, Red-vented Bulbul, Plain, Yellow-bellied, and Graceful prinias, Striated Babbler, White-tailed Stonechat, Indian Peafowl, common, widespread, and gorgeous. Photo by participants David & Judy Smith. Purple Sunbird, and Bank Myna. There can be few major cities with such spectacular numbers of birds on the doorstep, and it should be a most memorable first Indian day. Night in Delhi. Day 4, Tue, 22 Jan. To Kumeria and the Kosi River area. Today is largely a travel day and our advice is to sit back, relax, and watch India go by. Weʼll make a stop when we cross the Ganges, but otherwise birding will be limited to the occasional short stop for something special or a stretch/bush stop. Most of the drive is through the plains, which are largely covered with mustard fields, but by mid-afternoon we should arrive in the mountains and our hotel, which overlooks a picturesque wooded valley just outside Corbett National Park. Garden birds include Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, 3

4 White-cheeked (Himalayan) Bulbul, Golden-fronted Leafbird, White-crested Laughingthrush, and Eastern Crimson Sunbird. Night at The Den, Kumeria. 4 Day 5, Wed, 23 Jan. The Kumeria/Kosi River area. Located outside the park where the problem of large predators is reduced and we have more freedom to walk, our hotel and the area around it is a prime birding area. Weʼll spend the day birding in the nearby forest and alongside the rushing Kosi River. Here we may find Orange-bellied Leafbird, Spangled Drongo, and Scarlet Minivets in the canopy, while overhead weʼll look for Crested Treeswifts and a good selection of raptors. The rocky watercourses hold some wonderful species, including Tawny Fish-Owl, Brown Dipper, jaunty Spotted and Little forktails, numerous White-capped and Plumbeous redstarts, and hopefully a wintering Wallcreeper somewhere among the boulders. Our first taste of mixed-species flocks may include White-throated and Yellow-bellied fantails, Palerumped Warbler, and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. If trees are fruiting, Slaty-headed and Red-breasted parakeets may be seen, and Blue Whistling-Thrush (normally a shy species) is numerous and tame here. Night at The Den, Kumeria. Day 6, Thu, 24 Jan. Corbett National Park. This morning weʼll leave Kumeria in our 4x4 Gypsies, traveling and birding through some splendid scenic countryside as we head for Corbett National Park (about a one-and-a-half hour drive). Established in 1935 and comprising more than 200 square miles, Corbett is Indiaʼs oldest national park. Our accommodation inside the park, Dikhala Lodge, is limited, fairly poorly maintained, and very basic by western standards with unpredictable supplies of water and electricity, and single rooms are seldom available but it is invariably booked months in advance. Why? The answer is simply that the setting is superb and the variety of bird life astounding. The park also supports a healthy population of large animals, among them Sloth Bear, Marsh Mugger Crocodile, Indian Elephant, and Tiger. Our birding at Corbett thus will be mostly by vehicle, though we will also take an elephant-back ride, which will likely be a lifer for all and offers our first (although not the best) chance for Tiger. The Tigers are difficult to see at Corbett, but not so the birds. At least the Tigersʼ prey is common, and we should see Sambar, Spotted Deer (Chital), Barking Deer (Muntjac), and perhaps a few Hog Deer. We expect a wide range of bird species with possibilities including Red Junglefowl, Kalij Pheasant, Cinereous and Red-headed vultures, Pallasʼs and Lesser fish-eagles, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Emerald Dove, Brown Fish-Owl, Greater Flameback, Black-crested and Ashy bulbuls, Gray-hooded Warbler, Common Iora, Rufous-bellied Niltava, Black-hooded Oriole, and Gray Treepie. Behind our lodge is a scrubby slope that always holds a few interesting wintering species such as Slaty-blue Flycatcher and Aberrant Bush-Warbler, while the plains below the lodge are the habitat of Black Francolin, hunting harriers (occasionally including Pied), and Lesser Coucal. Night at Dhikala Lodge. Day 7, Fri, 25 Jan. Corbett and back to Kumeria. Weʼll have most of today to look for more birds and mammals in Corbett before driving back to Kumeria in the late afternoon. Night at The Den, Kumeria. Day 8, Sat, 26 Jan. To Nainital. After breakfast weʼll begin our drive to Nainital (in the Himalayan foothills) taking time to stop near Ramnagar, a well known site for Wallcreeper and if weʼre really lucky, the magnificent Ibisbill and perhaps a Blue-bearded Bee-eater or the secretive Sirkeer Malkoha. Later, as we ascend the rocky mountains, the vegetation will gradually change from dry, deciduous forest to light coniferous woodland interspersed with areas of ragged vertical bare rock. A new, fascinating, and diverse avifauna awaits us here with likely first encounters including Blue-capped Redstart, Green-backed and Black-throated tits, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, and Rock Bunting. Night at Vikram Vintage Inn, Nainital. Days 9-11, Sun-Tue, Jan. The Nainital area. Weʼll have three full days to enjoy birding around the hill station of Nainital. Situated at 6400 feet and surrounded by peaks that rise to over 8500 feet (we reach about 7500 feet), this popular resort town offers spectacular vistas and a bird list to match. While many species are resident, at this time of year these middle slopes of the Himalayas are visited by a varying assortment of birds from far and wide, some Siberian breeders on their regular wintering grounds and others altitudinal migrants that drop lower in response to winter storms on the higher peaks. The birding is always good and always different from year to year. (Just as we have variable numbers of winter finches and thrushes, Nainital has variable numbers of, you guessed it, winter finches and thrushes.) A variety of woodpeckers, including Greater Yellownape, Brown-fronted, and Himalayan can be found as well as a variety of passerines such as Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush, Gray-winged Blackbird, Buff-barred Warbler, Small Niltava, Redflanked Bluetail, Rufous Sibia, Yellow-browed Tit, and White-tailed Nuthatch. The corvids are especially nice, with the specialty being Black-headed Jay, sometimes mixed in with the equally attractive Eurasian Jay, and Blue Magpie as the aesthetic star. The skies are regularly crossed by Lammergeier and Himalayan Griffon. On one or two days weʼll take box lunches for a day trip to fields and wooded valleys lower on the slopes in pursuit of a slightly different species mix from that in the conifers around Nainital, hoping for forktails along the streams, perhaps a

5 skulking Chestnut-headed Tesia or Scaly-breasted Wren-Babbler in the streamside shrubbery, and flocks of the variously bold or shy White-throated and Rufous-chinned laughingthrushes. A dozen different species of migrant warblers may occur, but their numbers vary enormously depending on the Himalayan weather further north. Fields bordered by shrubbery are the habitat for three species of accentor (irregular in numbers), both White-tailed and Siberian rubythroats, and Pink-browed and Common rosefinches. Nights of Days 9 and 10 at Vikram Vintage Inn, Nainital; Day 11 at the Wild Crest near Ramnagar. Day 12, Wed, 30 Jan. Return to Delhi. After some early birding in the lower altitude forest near the Wild Crest, weʼll return to Delhi by train. Again, this is a day for traveling, sitting back and absorbing the bustling Indian countryside, and reflecting upon the vivid memories and rich experiences of the tour so far. Night in Delhi. Day 13, Thu, 31 Jan. To Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. This morning weʼll drive to Agra, arriving at our hotel in time for lunch. Itʼs then only a short hop to the magnificent, white-marble Taj Mahal, where after time for photography and a slow walk through the Moghul designed gardens, we can enter the majestic monument itself. Our local expert guide will inform us not just that the Taj was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, but also on every aspect of the how and why this world wonder was built. Later weʼll visit the impressive Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan spent the last eight years of his life imprisoned by his own evil son only a distant view of his magnificent monument to console him. Security for visiting the Taj is very strict so please remember no pocketknives, lighters, or other instruments of potential defacement; photography is not allowed within the tomb area but is perfectly okay everywhere else. Night at Trident Hotel, Agra. Day 14, Fri, 1 Feb. The Chambal River. Today weʼll travel for about two hours by bus to a little known area (but one which is fast becoming known to birders), the Chambal River. This is one of the most unpolluted rivers in northern India and will undoubtedly be our best chance to see the increasingly rare Indian Skimmer. During a two-hour boat trip the Skimmer will be our main target species, but weʼll also see a whole array of other birds, perhaps including Lesser Whistling-Duck, Red-naped Ibis, Black-bellied and River terns, Small Pratincole, and Sand Lark. Itʼs also a good place for Gharial (a long-snouted fish-eating crocodile) and even the rare Ganges Dolphin. In the afternoon weʼll return to Agra. Night at Trident Hotel, Agra. Day 15, Sat, 2 Feb. To Bharatpur. After breakfast weʼll drive for about one hour to the abandoned red sandstone city of Fatehpur Sikri. Formerly the residence of Akbar the Great, the palaces and other adjoining buildings are quite simply magnificent. Egyptian Vultures, Dusky Crag-Martins, and Indian Chats also find the buildings to their liking, helping to ensure that our visit to this mysterious place is not purely cultural. Weʼll then drive for about another hour, arriving in time for lunch at the wonderful Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary better known simply as Bharatpur. Weʼll have this afternoon and the whole of tomorrow to bird this area. Night at Forest Lodge, Bharatpur. Day 16, Sun, 3 Feb. Bharatpur. One of Asiaʼs most famous bird sanctuaries, Bharatpur is in the midst of change. During Indian Spot-billed Duck photographed by participants David & Judy Smith. the past few years this magnificent reserve has occasionally suffered from a lack of water, as people pressure demanded its use for irrigation. Itʼs impossible to know what the situation will be like in 2013, but we hope the new pipeline, which the government was installing, will be complete and Bharatpur will return to its former glory. Even if the water levels are not high, we can still enjoy our time here visiting 5

6 the nearby Bund Baretha where thousands of water birds gather when Bharatpur is dry. Here, among the huge flocks of Northern Shoveler and Northern Pintail are smaller (but significant) numbers of Greylag and Bar-headed geese, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Red-crested Pochard, and Cotton Pygmy-goose. A few Indian Cormorant (scarce at this time of year) should also be present, while larger numbers of Black-necked, Painted, and Woolly-necked storks, Asian Openbill, Blackheaded Ibis, White-breasted Waterhen, Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged jacanas, and White-tailed Lapwings all inhabit the marshy fringes. With no large predators to worry about (either inside or outside the reserve), weʼll be free to wander at will, enjoying our birding on foot; the tree-lined walkways are the wintering haunts of Humeʼs and Blythʼs Reed warblers, Lesser Whitethroat, Bluethroats, and the occasional Siberian Rubythroat. Uniquely, weʼll also travel by bicycle-rickshaw, which not only letʼs us travel further afield, but allows the sharp-eyed and knowledgeable rickshaw drivers to show us roosting owls (perhaps Dusky Eagle-Owl, Spotted Owlet, and Indian Scops-Owl) or nightjars. In dry years the rickshaws also allow access to the arid fields beyond the wetlands, which can be excellent for Yellow-wattled Lapwing and the elusive Indian Courser. No matter what conditions we encounter, Bharatpur is always a wonderful place for birds, and whether weʼre watching migrant raptors crossing the skies or searching the woodlands for resident species such as Indian Gray Hornbill, Coppersmith and Brown-headed barbets, Common Woodshrike, and Brahminy Starling, there will be plenty to enjoy here. Night at Forest Lodge, Bharatpur. Day 17, Mon, 4 Feb. Back to Delhi. After a final morning birding at Bharatpur, weʼll say a fond farewell and then take the afternoon train back to Delhi. Night in Delhi. Day 18, Tue, 5 Feb. To Kanha National Park. Today weʼll take the early flight from Delhi to Jabalpur and then drive for about five hours to Chitwan Lodge, our base for exploring the home of the Tiger Kanha National Park. Night at Chitwan Lodge. Days 19-20, Wed-Thu, 6-7 Feb. Kanha National Park. During two days at Kanha, weʼll make morning and afternoon trips within the park, traveling by both small open jeep and perhaps on elephant back. In recent years Tiger has become extremely rare and elusive in many parts of India (including several protected areas), but it is here, in this mixture of both sal and deciduous forest that we believe we have the best chance to see this largest of all cats. Kanha NP has excellent protection against poachers, and there are a large number of Tiger prey species within the reserve: Spotted, Swamp, and Barking deer and Sambar are just some of the species we should see. Additionally, thereʼs also a chance of finding the rare Dhole (or Indian Wild Dog) as we work our way along the woodland trails. Depending on the suggestions of our expert local guides, we will either look for Tiger by jeep or on elephant back (or a mixture of both); we may also have to split the group but rest assured, the local guides make every effort to insure that everyone has an opportunity to see as many birds and mammals as possible. Birding highlights could include Painted Francolin, Jungle Bush-Quail, Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Jungle Owlet, Alexandrine Parakeet, Large Cuckooshrike, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Streak-throated Swallow, Yellow-eyed Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Orange-headed Thrush, and Indian Scimitar-Babbler. Nights at Chitwan Lodge. Day 21, Fri, 8 Feb. Return To Delhi. Today weʼll drive to Nagpur (about six hours) and then fly to Delhi. Night in Delhi. Day 22, Sat, 9 Feb. Delhi area/sultanpur Jheel; departure for home. This morning weʼll take a picnic lunch and drive to the Sultanpur Jheel Reserve about one hour away. Of course water levels and numbers of birds vary significantly from year to year, but we expect to see good numbers of ducks and perhaps a wintering flock of Bar-headed Geese. The surrounding woodlands can be good for Red Collared-Dove, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, and Long-tailed Minivet, while the dry plains attract Eurasian Thick-knee, Indian Courser, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, and Indian Bushlark. Weʼll eat lunch at the reserve and then return to our hotel in the early afternoon, giving us plenty of time to wash up and change before enjoying a farewell dinner prior to catching the overnight flight home. United has a flight that departs Delhi at 11:35 p.m. on February 9 and arrives in Newark at 4:30 a.m. on February 10. Day 23, Sun, 10 Feb. Arrival Home. Flights will arrive in Newark early this morning in plenty of time for connections home. 6

7 About Your Guide 7 Terry Stevenson, originally from England, has made Kenya his home since As the resident ornithologist at Lake Baringo from 1981 to 1985, he wrote The Birds of Lake Baringo, an annotated checklist recording a total of 458 species in the area. He is the senior author of the Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi the only guide in the region to have a text and maps, opposite plates format. He is also co-author to Birds of the Horn of Africa: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Socotra. Published in 2009, this acclaimed guide is the only one to this region. He is a member/advisor to the Bird Committee of Nature Kenya and the East African Rarities Committee. On November 30, 1986, he set a new World Big Day record with 342 species in one day in Kenya; the record stands today. One of Africa and Indiaʼs foremost bird-tour guides, Terry has led numerous Field Guides tours across the African continent, in Madagascar, and in India. He is currently living in a mud-and-cow-dung mansion near Mt. Kenya. Please check for Terryʼs complete tour schedule; just click on his photo. Financial Information The incomparable Taj Mahal. Photo by participant Marshall Dahl. FEE: $8575 from Delhi AIRFARE: $ from Newark (as of April 2012; subject to change) DEPOSIT: $850 per person FINAL PAYMENT DUE: September 21, 2012 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (Optional): $1725 LIMIT: 9 Other Things You Need to Know TOUR MANAGER: The manager for this tour is Karen Turner. Karen will be happy to assist you in preparing for the tour. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call her!

8 8 ACCOMMODATIONS, FOOD, AND CULTURE: Hotels are clean and comfortable, rather than luxurious, and participants on our past tours have found our lodgings a pleasant surprise. The only exceptions are the Forest Lodge at Bharatpur, which had become rather run down but has been revamped a bit. New decorations in the rooms and more reliable plumbing were very welcome additions. Also, as mentioned for Day 6 in the daily itinerary above, Dhikala at Corbett National Park is a government-operated lodge which is basic and poorly maintained (but was also re-vamped in early 2009); we will spend only one night there and it is right on the spot (and the only game in town inside Corbett). There is a possibility that singles may not be available at one or more of our lodgings (especially at Dhikala), though in the recent past this has not been a problem and singles were given everywhere. Rooms in each of our lodgings have private facilities, though at Dhikala the plumbing is poorly maintained and does not always function properly. Breakfasts and dinners will normally be taken at the hotels; our typical meal schedule will be a full though simple breakfast and a substantial varied but Indian-style dinner. Lunches will be a mix of packed lunches prepared by the hotels (rather basic and repetitive) and sit-down meals when in close proximity to our hotel or lodge. For some people, stomach discomfort can be a problem throughout India, and your guide may recommend you consider a vegetarian diet. India can be a culture shock for the unwary. There are people just about everywhere and conditions in some areas can be described as squalid. Roads can be very crowded, making progress slow and driving a bit of an adventure. However, the people are friendly and do not harass their wildlife, so despite the downsides, it is a wonderful place to visit. A NOTE ON ALTITUDE: Around Nainital we shall be birding up to an altitude of about 7500 feet; a couple of the trails are steep in places, but the pace is slow. CLOTHING: As on all birding tours, we recommend that your outer jacket, hat, and trousers are in reasonably muted colors. As we discovered at Corbett, elephants DO NOT like red, and the mahout will not allow you on the elephant ride in bright attire therefore, no reds, yellows, or whites. Please also read the section on Climate and Clothing in the Information Bulletin as North India may well be colder at this time of year then what you are expecting! DOCUMENTS: A current passport valid for six months beyond your return is necessary for US citizens to enter India. US citizens must also obtain a tourist visa for India and application should be made well in advance. We will provide you with the necessary visa application form. If you are not a US citizen, please check with the Indian consulate nearest you for entry requirements. Information about consulates and entry requirements is generally available online or you can contact us and we will be happy to look this up for you. Passports should have an adequate number of blank pages for the entire journey. Some countries require a blank page for their stamp and as a precaution it is best to have one blank page per country you will visit or transit. AIR ARRANGEMENTS: Round-trip airfare Newark to Delhi is currently $ (as of April 2012; subject to change). Field Guides is a full service travel agency and your tour manager will be happy to assist you with flights to join this tour. Field Guides does not charge a service fee for these services to clients booking a tour. However, we understand that tech-savvy clients often prefer to shop online or that you may wish to use mileage to purchase tickets. Regardless of which method you choose, your tour manager will be happy to provide assistance regarding ticket prices and schedules, along with rental cars and extra hotel nights as needed. Please be sure to check with your tour manager prior to purchasing your ticket to make sure the flights you have chosen will work well with the tour itinerary and that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate. Once purchased, most airline tickets are non-refundable and carry a penalty to change. Field Guides cannot be responsible for these fees. Also, it is imperative that we receive a copy of your comprehensive flight itinerary including any and all flights not covered in the tour fee so that we may track you in the event of missed connections, delays, or other mishaps. LUGGAGE: Please be aware that many airlines have recently modified their luggage policies and are charging additional fees for checked bags. Updates could easily occur before your departure, so you may wish to contact your airline to verify the policy. Additional charges for bags on any flights, whether these are covered by the tour fee or not, will be the clientʼs responsibility. TOUR INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS: The tour fee is $8575 for one person in double occupancy from Delhi. It includes all lodging from Day 2 through Day 21 and day rooms in Delhi on Day 22, all meals from breakfast on Day 3 through dinner

9 on Day 22, the flights within India, all ground transportation, entrance fees, tips for baggage handling and meal service, and the guide services of the tour leader(s). The above fee does not include your airfare to and from Delhi, transfers from the Delhi airport to our Delhi hotel and back to the airport, airport taxes, visa fees, any checked or carry-on baggage charges imposed by the airlines, any alcoholic beverages, phone calls, laundry, or other items of a personal nature. The single supplement for the tour is $1725. If you do not have a roommate but wish to share, we will try to pair you with a roommate from the tour; but if none is available, you will be billed for the single supplement. Our tour fees are based on double occupancy; one-half the cost of a double room is priced into the tour fee. The single supplement is calculated by taking the actual cost of a single room and subtracting one-half the cost of a double room (plus any applicable taxes). TOUR REGISTRATION: To register for this tour, complete the enclosed Registration/Release and Indemnity form and return it with a deposit of $850 per person. If registering by phone, a deposit must be received within fourteen days, or the space will be released. Full payment of the tour fee is due 120 days prior to departure, or by September 21, We will bill you for the final payment at either 120 days or when the tour has reached sufficient subscription to operate, whichever date comes later. Since the cost of your trip insurance and airline tickets is generally nonrefundable, please do not finalize these purchases until you have received final billing for the tour or have been advised that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate by your tour manager. SMOKING: Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. If you smoke, please be sensitive to the group and refrain from smoking at meals, in vehicles, and in proximity to the group on trails and elsewhere. CANCELLATION POLICY: Refund of deposit and payment, less $100 handling fee, will be made if cancellation is received up to 120 days before departure. If cancellation occurs between 119 and 70 days before the departure date, 50% of the tour fee is refundable. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are not refundable. This policy only applies to payments made to Field Guides for tour (and any services included in those fees). Airline tickets not included in the tour fee and purchased separately often carry penalties for cancellation or change, or are sometimes totally non-refundable. Additionally, if you take out trip insurance the cost of the insurance is not refundable so it is best to purchase the policy just prior to making full payment for the tour or at the time you purchase airline tickets, depending upon the airlines restrictions. The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. The right is reserved to substitute another guide for the original one. Where this is necessary, notification will be given to tour members, and they will have the right to cancel their participation and receive a full refund. TRIP CANCELLATION & MEDICAL EMERGENCY INSURANCE: We strongly recommend you consider purchasing trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to or during a trip. Because we must remit early (and substantial) tour deposits to our suppliers, we cannot offer any refund when cancellation occurs within 70 days of departure, and only a partial refund from 70 to 119 days prior to departure (see CANCELLATION POLICY). In addition, the Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. US medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Furthermore, US Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. US and Canadian citizens will receive from us a brochure regarding optional tour cancellation/emergency medical insurance. Our agent, CSA, will insure for trip cancellation and interruption, medical coverage, travel delay, baggage loss and delay, 24-hour accident protection, and emergency medical transportation. If you purchase the insurance when making final payment for the tour, pre-existing conditions are covered. The CSA brochure includes a contact number; you may also purchase your CSA policy on-line by visiting our website at and clicking the link to CSA. Please note, once the insurance is purchased it is non-refundable, so please check with your tour 9

10 manager prior to making the purchase to assure the tour will operate as scheduled. Citizens of other countries are urged to consult their insurance broker. RESPONSIBILITY: For and in consideration of the opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour participant and each parent or legal guardian of a tour participant who is under 18 agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless Field Guides Incorporated, its agents, servants, employees, shareholders, officers, directors, attorneys, and contractors as more fully set forth in the Release and Indemnity Agreement on the reverse side of the registration form. Field Guides Incorporated acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, airplane, or other means, and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity caused by defect in such vehicles or for any reason whatsoever, including the acts, defaults, or bankruptcies of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. Field Guides Incorporated accepts no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. The tour participant shall bear all such losses and expenses. Field Guides Incorporated reserves the right to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. Field Guides Incorporated reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour. Baggage is at ownerʼs risk entirely. Participants should be in good health and should consult a physician before undertaking a tour. If you have questions about the physical requirements of a tour, please contact our office for further information. Participants should prepare for the tour by reading the detailed itinerary, the information bulletin, and other pertinent matter provided by Field Guides. Each participant is responsible for bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as recommended in our bulletins. THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TOUR DEPOSIT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE CONSENT TO THE ABOVE CONDITIONS. EACH TOUR PARTICIPANT AND EACH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A TOUR PARTICIPANT WHO IS UNDER 18 SHALL SIGN AND DELIVER THE RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION 3/12 TS 4/12ADR 10